Credits-only ESA claim

My client won’t have sufficient contributions for CBESA and partner’s income too high for IRESA. From what I can gather in CPAG, she could make a credits-only claim to protect her contribution record. Does this entail anything other that attaining LCW? I know that after 365 days you can have a credits-only claim but just wanted to check that you can have one where there is no entitlement to a payment from the start (for the above reasons).

Sure you can. Someone will probably advise of the specific regulations covering the process, but essentially you claim in the normal way. You’ll probably find the WCA takes ages or may not happen at all, as credits only claims appear to take low priority.

CPAG (p852) states: “These credits are awarded automatically if you get ESA or MA, otherwise you must apply to JCP before the end of the benefit year following the tax year in which you are entitled to the credit.”

I see award letters periodically that state no ESA is payable but credits will be, well, credited.

I thought that was the case but then wondered if you’d had to have been actually paid ESA at one time in order to get credits.

Many thanks.